bad news

noun

plural in form but singular in construction
: one that is troublesome, unwelcome, or dangerous
stay away from him, he's bad news

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bad news was in 1917

Dictionary Entries Near bad news

Cite this Entry

“Bad news.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bad%20news. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!